Bluebird Network closes sale to Macquarie Infrastructure Partners, expands fiber network
Bluebird Network, LLC says its acquisition by Macquarie Infrastructure Partners (MIP) has closed. The deal immediately expands Bluebird Network’s fiber footprint in the Midwest, thanks to a tie up with REIT Uniti Group Inc. (NASDAQ: UNIT). Terms of the deal were not disclosed.
According to information Bluebird Network supplied at the time it announced its acquisition by MIP (see “Bluebird Network agrees to acquisition by Macquarie Infrastructure Partners, targets fiber network expansion”), Uniti will acquire Bluebird’s fiber network, which it will then lease back to Bluebird. Meanwhile, Bluebird will acquire Uniti’s Midwestern fiber business and receive a long-term lease over Uniti’s 2500-mile Midwestern fiber network as well. The two fiber networks will be combined and operated as a single company under the Bluebird name. The new fiber networks are in Illinois and cover Rockford, Peoria, Bloomington, Normal and the Quad Cities area. Fiber network expansion is planned as well. Bluebird Network now operates a network of more than 8,000 fiber route miles with more than 127 points of presence (PoPs).
“We are pleased to expand Macquarie Infrastructure Partners’ communications infrastructure portfolio with the acquisition of Bluebird,” said Karl Kuchel, CEO of MIP. “As bandwidth needs continue to rise, fiber has become the essential backbone for high-performance connectivity networks. We look forward to working with Bluebird’s experienced management team to grow the company’s network and services in the years ahead.”
“Bluebird Network is proud to be among the top telecommunications providers in the country,” said Michael Morey, the President and CEO of Bluebird Network. “With this acquisition, Bluebird remains well positioned to expand its offerings in new cities and communities and to continue providing the highest levels of service offerings to enterprise, carrier and wireless customers.”
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Stephen Hardy | Editorial Director and Associate Publisher, Lightwave
Stephen Hardy is editorial director and associate publisher of Lightwave and Broadband Technology Report, part of the Lighting & Technology Group at Endeavor Business Media. Stephen is responsible for establishing and executing editorial strategy across the both brands’ websites, email newsletters, events, and other information products. He has covered the fiber-optics space for more than 20 years, and communications and technology for more than 35 years. During his tenure, Lightwave has received awards from Folio: and the American Society of Business Press Editors (ASBPE) for editorial excellence. Prior to joining Lightwave in 1997, Stephen worked for Telecommunications magazine and the Journal of Electronic Defense.
Stephen has moderated panels at numerous events, including the Optica Executive Forum, ECOC, and SCTE Cable-Tec Expo. He also is program director for the Lightwave Innovation Reviews and the Diamond Technology Reviews.
He has written numerous articles in all aspects of optical communications and fiber-optic networks, including fiber to the home (FTTH), PON, optical components, DWDM, fiber cables, packet optical transport, optical transceivers, lasers, fiber optic testing, and more.
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